Composite structural decking



Filed April 24. 1967 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR L. TROUTNER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,440,791 COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL DECKING Arthur L. Troutner, Skyline Drive, Boise, Idaho 83707 Filed Apr. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 632,991 Int. Cl. E04c 2/10, 2/38, 5/16 US. Cl. 52-629 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to composite structural decking, particularly plywood decking, of the class which may be prefabricated at the mill and transported to the construction site, where it is applied rapidly to the joists or or other underlying supports.

In decking comprising a deck membrane and underlying stiffening members, a problem is presented in securing the stiffening members to the membrane. If they are glued to the membrane, application of a load to the deck creates severe peel stress and cross grain tension at the extreme ends of the stiffeners. This causes failure under even small loads. Where the stiffening members are secured to the overlying membrane by means of nails or screws, these fastening elements are loaded in withdrawal and hence are prone to failure.

It is the general purpose of the present invention to provide a composite structural decking in which these problems of the prior art are overcome, which is simple in construction, easily prefabricated in the mill, light in weight, easily applied on the construction site, and reliable and eflicient in its operation.

Broadly stated, the presently described composite structural decking comprises a deck membrane and a plurality of elongated deck-membrane-stiffening members arranged in spaced parallel relation beneath the deck, substantially normal to the spaced support members which underlie and support the deck. The deck-membranestiifening members have a length which is somewhat shorter than the length of the deck membrane. This provides a deck membrane overhang adapted to overlap and bear against the underlying support members.

Hanger-type fasteners interengage the stiffening members and the deck membrane at spaced intervals, particularly adjacent the respective ends of the stiffening members. The fastening members are securely locked in place. Accordingly, when load is placed on the deck membrane, it is transferred through the stiffeners to the hangers which in turn transfer it back to the deck membrane and thence to the adjacent underlying supports which the deck membrane overlaps. A strong, reliable deck thus is provided.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded view illustrating the manner of assembly of the herein described composite structural decking in one of its embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the decking of FIG. 1 in its assembled condition;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view illustrating the construction and manner of assembling the composite structural decking of the invention in another of its embodiments;

3,440,791 Patented Apr. 29, 1969 FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the decking of FIG. 3 in its assembled condition;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the decking of the invention in its assembled condition, in a third embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a structural deck illustrating the manner of application of the herein described decking; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the deck taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 and illustrating the decking in its end elevation.

As shown in the drawings, the structural decking of the invention is adapted to be laid on spaced joists or other structural support members such as trusses 8. The decking is provided in composite units, indicated generally,at 10.

Each decking unit comprises a deck membrane 12 and underlying stiffening members 14.

The deck membrane 12 preferably comprises a single sheet of plywood having a width sufficient to overlap the underlying support members substantially to the midpoints of each, as shown in FIG. 6. Its length may be equal to the length of the conventional plywood panels.

stiffening members 14 may comprise 2 x 2s or other dimension lumber having lengths which are somewhat shorter than the width of the deck membrane. This provides a deck membrane overhang adapted to overlap and bear against the underlying support members 8.

One of the stiffening members, i.e. members 16 of FIG. 6, has a width substantially twice the width of its companion stiffening members. It thus forms a projection which extends outwardly beyond the plane of the end edge of deck membrane 12 and underlaps the edge of the adjacent decking unit to provide continuity of structure.

The underlying stificning elements are fastened to the overlying deck membrane by means of fasteners which essentially are hangers.

Thus in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS.

1 and 2, the fastening elements comprise O-shaped clips 18. These may be fabricated from short metal bars or straps having overlapped ends Welded or riveted together.

To accommodate O-clips 18, the longitudinal side edges of membrane 12 are formed with spaced pairs of slots 20 extending inwardly at substantially right angles to the edges. The individual members of each pair of slots are spaced apart from each other a distance slightly greater than the widths of stilfening members 14.

O-clips 18 are dimensioned for insertion in the slots comprising the pairs, and also for insertion of the ends of the stiffening members. Thus, to assemble the decking unit, it merely is necessary to place each stiffening member beneath the deck membrane with its ends located between the selected pairs of slots 20. O-clips 18 then are pressed into the slots and around the ends of the stiffening members. A snug fit and a stable connection thus are provided.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is similar with the exception that staple-type hanger fasteners are employed.

Each fastener 22 comprises a U-shaped staple formed from a stiff bar or strap of metal. The staple is U-shaped and has a pair of legs 24 interconnected by a cross segment 26.

Cross segment 26 has a length which is substantially equal to the width of stiffening member 14. Legs 24 have a length which is greater than the sum of the depth of stiffening member 14 and the thickness of skin membrane 12. They are, in fact, sufiiciently long to extend around and through these elements and to be folded down upon each other in overlapped relation, as shown in FIG. 4.

To achieve this purpose, the ends 28 of staple legs 24 are oppositely beveled to provide sharp penetrating spurs. When it is desired to assemble the decking units, stiffening members 14 are placed beneath deck membrane in the predetermined locations. Hangers 24 then are bracketed about the stiffeners and driven through deck membrane 12 from the underside. Their outwardly projecting ends then are folded toward each other and overlapped. A nail, screw, or other spur-type fastener 32 then is driven through the overlapped staple ends, through members 12, and into underlying stiffening member 14. This interlocks the elements of the assembly.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the construction and manner of application are similar, with the exception that the overlapped ends of staple-like hanger 22 are fastened to each other by means of spot welding 34.

The manner of applying the decking is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

After the erection of structural support members 8 in the usual manner, the decking units are applied simply by laying them one at a time across adjacent supports. The membrane overhang referred to above bears against the supports. The ends of adjacent decking units are supported by underlapping projections 16 present on one end of each decking unit. As the decking units are laid, they may be tacked to the underlying supports to achieve further stability.

When a load is applied to the finished deck, it is transferred through the membrane to the underlying stiffeners. It then is transmitted to the hangers and thence back to the membrane, adjacent the marginal portion thereof which overlaps the structural supports. The load thus is transmitted safely and effectively from the decking to the supports.

In addition, the decking assembly is not subject to failure by peeling ofif the stiffening elements, as is the case when such elements are glued to the underside of the membrane, or by withdrawal of nails or screws, as would occur when the stiffening elements are nailed or screwed to the underside of the membrane. In addition, the decking units are simple in construction so that they may be prefabricated economically at the mill, and light in weight so that they may be transported economically to the construction site and handled conveniently and safely by the workmen.

It is understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described are to be taken as illustrative examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Composite structural decking adapted to overlie and be supported by a pair of parallel, spaced support members, the decking comprising (a) a deck membrane,

(b) a plurality of elongated deck-membrane-stitfening members, arranged in spaced, parallel relation beneath the deck membrane,

(c) the deck-membrane-stifiening members being arranged substantially normal to the support members and having a length shorter than the length of the deck membrane to provide a deck membrane overhang adapted to overlap and bear against the underlying support members, and

(d) hanger-type fastening means at spaced intervals interengaging the stiffening members and the deck membrane and comprising staple means dimensioned to encircle the stiffening members and to penetrate the membrane from the underside, and securing means engaging the ends of the staple means and preventing their withdrawal through the membrane.

2. The composite structural decking of claim 1 wherein the ends of the staple means are folded toward each other and overlapped and wherein the securing means comprise spur type securing means penetrating the overlapped ends of the staple means and the underlying deck membrane.

3. The composite structural decking of claim 1 wherein the ends of the staple means are folded toward each other and overlapped and wherein the securing means comprise the overlapped ends being spot welded together.

4. Composite structural decking adapted to overlie and be supported by a pair of parallel, spaced support members, the decking comprising (a) a deck membrane,

(b) a plurality of elongated deck-membrane-stiffening members, arranged in spaced, parallel relation beneath the deck membrane,

(c) the deck-membrane-stiffening members being arranged substantially normal to the support members and having a length shorter than the length of the deck membrane to provide a deck membrane overhang adapted to overlap and bear against the underlying support members, and

(d) hanger-type fastening means at spaced intervals interengaging the stiffening members and the deck membrane,

(e) the longitudinal side edges of the decking membrane being provided with a plurality of spaced pairs of slots, the spacing of the pairs corresponding to the spacing of the stiffening members,

(if) the component slots of each pair being separated by a distance which is greater than the Width of the underlying stiffening member,

g) the hanger-type fastening means comprising 0- shaped clips dimensioned for insertion in the slots to receive the ends of the underlying support members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,431,086 10/1922 Ault 52-602 X 3,186,037 6/1965 SklarOfT 52629 X JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 52-4 112 

